Hornets 110, Nuggets 87: Tidjane Salaün posts 31.2 fantasy points
Tommy Flanagan
Journeyman Electrician · Boston Celtics fan
Charlotte Just Embarrassed Denver In The Mile High City And Your Jokic Stack Is In The Dumpster
This wasn't a game. This was a mugging. The Hornets rolled into Denver and absolutely cooked the All-NBA first teamer Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets, winning 110-87. Before you panic sell every Denver asset, let's talk about what actually happened, because the box score tells a wild story about who showed up and who ghosted.
Tonight's Top Performers
| Player | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | vs Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tidjane Salaün (CHA) | 31.2 | 13/11/2/0/1 | 6.3/4.3/0.9 | +6.7/+6.7/+1.1 |
| Brandon Miller (CHA) | 28.3 | 23/4/1/0/0 | 19.8/4.3/3.4 | +3.2/-0.3/-2.4 |
| LaMelo Ball (CHA) | 28.2 | 10/1/6/3/0 | 19.9/5.0/7.6 | -9.9/-4.0/-1.6 |
| Jalen Pickett (DEN) | 26.5 | 12/5/7/0/0 | 6.2/2.7/2.6 | +5.8/+2.3/+4.4 |
| Julian Strawther (DEN) | 26.4 | 15/2/2/2/0 | 3.8/1.3/0.7 | +11.2/+0.7/+1.3 |
| Collin Sexton (CHA) | 24.9 | 14/2/5/1/0 | 14.9/2.0/4.1 | -0.9/+0.0/+0.9 |
Tonight's Top Performers
Listen, Charlotte came to play and Denver came to nap. Tidjane Salaün absolutely went off in just 21 minutes, dropping 31.2 Yahoo points on a 6.3/4.3/0.9 season average. That's plus 6.7 points and plus 6.7 boards in limited minutes. Kid is getting real playing time and looking like he might actually be a rotation piece instead of a gleague filler. Keep your eye on that.
Brandon Miller delivered a solid 28.3 FP with 23 points on just 23 minutes played. He went 8-15 from the field with four threes. That's a +3.2 over his season average on limited run time, which means Charlotte was actually getting production efficiency rather than just volume. Soft extension.
LaMelo Ball is the one you gotta worry about though. Yeah, he put up 28.2 FP, but dig into it. He shot 4-11 and went for only 10 points with 6 assists. His season average is 19.9/5.0/7.6, so he's minus 9.9 points and minus 1.6 assists. He had the steals (3), which saved his night, but this is a guy playing in a blowout where Charlotte didn't need him.
The Winners
Brandon Miller legit looks like he's trending up. You see those efficiency numbers? 8-15 shooting on 23 minutes is elite per-minute production. If Charlotte keeps giving him this role, he's going to have some massive games. This isn't a fluke, this is a role change. He was supposed to have limited role after coming back, now he's getting real minutes and punishing defenses.
Jalen Pickett is your sneaky pickup here. 26.5 FP on 33 minutes of work, going 4-7 from the field and dropping 7 assists. That's plus 4.4 assists vs his season average of 2.6. Pickett got real run when Denver needed someone to do literally anything useful. Is he the future of this team? No. But right now he's getting minutes and contributing on the assists front.
The Letdowns
Jamal Murray was absolute cheeks. All-NBA second teamer putting up 16 points on 7-12 shooting and that's it. Two assists, one rebound, and he underperformed his season average of 25.9 points by almost 10. That minus 9.9 is brutal for a guy you're probably starting. This is one game in a blowout, so don't panic yet, but it's worth watching if Denver's offense looks this broken again.
LaMelo Ball started strong but faded in the blowout. Ten points on 4-11 shooting is not the production you're paying for with a 19.9 season average. The three steals kept him respectable for fantasy, but if Charlotte doesn't need his scoring touch, you're gonna get games like this.
The Trends
Denver got absolutely cooked at home. This wasn't a close game at any point. When that happens, bench guys get run time and stars get garbage time minutes. Julian Strawther somehow poured in 26.4 FP with 15 points in just 19 minutes. That's plus 11.2 points above his 3.8 season average. This is pure garbage time inflation. Don't get attached.
Charlotte's rotation looked different tonight. Salaün and Miller both got extended minutes in a blowout win, which usually means they're in the rotation plans. Miller especially looked like he belongs out there.
The bigger thing here is that Jokic didn't even play. All-NBA center sitting out. That's a red flag you gotta monitor. Is he hurt? Resting? We need answers before making trades.
The Moves
Add: Jalen Pickett - The guy's getting 30+ minutes now and contributing real assists. Grab him if he's available. This is a league-winner type find if Denver keeps this bench lineup rolling.
Add: Tidjane Salaün - If he's available in your league, grab him. He's getting 20+ minute runs and looking competent. Could be a real pickup down the stretch if Charlotte's rotation solidifies.
Trade Brandon Miller - Just kidding. Actually hold Miller. He looked real tonight. This could be his breakthrough game where Charlotte trusts him more. Don't panic sell.
Drop: Worry about Jamal Murray - Not literally drop him, but if you're looking for one night of under-production in a blowout loss, don't overreact. One bad game doesn't break a guy.
Next Up
Charlotte's probably riding high after that performance. Denver needs to figure out what the heck went wrong with Jokic not playing. Is he injured? Is he resting? That's the move you're watching.
For your fantasy squads, monitor Denver's rotation changes and see if Pickett and Strawther get real playing time going forward or if this was a one-night blowout thing. That's the difference between a league winner and a waiver wire flyer.